Flasher



Nam 6, 1934.,

J. SCHMIDINGER Filed April 19, 1932 FLASHER 2 Sheets-Shem l v INVENTOR 1934a J. SCHMIDINGIER 3 ,979,349

FLASHER Filed April 19, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVEN OR I AT] ORNEY Patented Nov. 6, .1934

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 19 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in flashers, and, more particularly, to improvements in thermo-responsive electric switches.

An object of the invention is to provide a device of the character described, which is efficient, economical and readily manufactured.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device adapted to be inserted in an electric circuit to alter periodically the efiective current flow through the circuit, so that a light source associated therewith may be caused to flash or flicker.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of the character described, which, when in operation, always permits the passage of some current so that, although the amount of current passing through the circuit in which the device is placed is altered, the circuit is never completely broken.

A further object of the invention is to provide F33 a device of the character described which is provided with means for altering the period of flash in the light source associated with said circuit.

A further object of the invention is to prvide a device of the character described adapted to handle relatively large currents without undue wear or destruction of the make-and-break contacts forming a part thereof.

A still further object is to provide a flasher of the character described, the operation of which 39 is largerly dependent upon the related action of a resistance wire and a magnet.

Other objects of the invention will in part be obvious and will in part appear hereinafter.

The invention accordingly comprises the features of construction, combination of elements,

and arrangement of parts, which will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter set forth and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the claims.

0 For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the invention, reference should be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure l is a top view of a flasher embodying the structure of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view, along the line 2--2, of the device shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a diagrammatical representation of the circuit of the device shown in Figs. 1 and 2;

Fig. 4 is a front elevation, in part broken away, of a modified form of the invention; and

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the permanent magnet illustrated in Fig. 4. Heretofore various types of thermo-responsive electric switches and flashers have been developed. These devices have been almost uniformly slow to act and irregular in their action. This invention contemplates the production of a device adapted to function quickly and with complete regularity. Adjustable means are provided to alter the period of the flash controlled by the device from, for example, one flash per second to twenty flashes per second. The device is so constructed that the alteration of current flow 5 producing these flashes may occur at regular intervals and continue for regular periods. The adjustable means may be adapted to control not only the frequency of current alteration, but to regulate the time intervals of great and small 7 current flow through the device independently of each other so that the periods of illumination and darkness in the source of illumination associated with the flasher may be independently controlled.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in 7 Figs. 1, 2 and 3 of the drawings, 10 denotes a suitable base, which may be of insulating material, carrying an electromagnet 11 having an armature 12. An energizing coil or winding 13 is arranged about the electromagnet and suitably insulated therefrom. One end of the coil leads to a terminal 14. The other end of the coil is aflixed as at 15 to an extension 16 of the core of the electromagnet.

Attached to the armature 12 as at 18 is a conducting member 19, which may be of springy or resilient material. As shown, this member completely supports'the armature of the electromagnet. The adjusting screw 17 is held in position and substantially locked by tension between the armature and resilient member. The position of this resilient member and the armature with respect to the electromagnet is determined primarily by the resistance wire 20 which is joined to the resilient member as at 21 and to a substantially upright extension of the electromagnet as at 22. One end of the conducting member 19 is rigidly mounted upon the base. As shown, this is accomplished by the conducting posts 23, insulated from the magnet and frame, and in circuit with the resilient member 19 and a second terminal 24. About the coil of the electromagnet and in circuit with the core thereof is positioned a contact-carrying member, in the form shown, comprising a conducting bridge 25. The contact carried by this member is positioned directly below the adjusting screw 17. A second contact carried by the adjusting screw is adapted, under conditions hereinafter to be explained, to mate with the contact on the bridge and substantially no to eliminate the resistance wire 20 from the circuit through the device.

The operation of the device is as follows:

In its normal condition and before the passage of current therethrough, the resistance wire 20 acts to support the armature and the contact carried by the adjusting screw away from the electromagnet and the contact carried by the bridge thereof. This action of the resistance wire also overcomes a tendency of the resilient member 19 to force the contacts together. When the device is energized, the current will at first fiow from the terminal 14, through the energizing coil of the electromagnet, from thence along the extended leg of the electromagnet through the resistance wire, and back along a portion of the resilient member 19 to the terminal 24. Inits passage through this circuit, the current will be kept small, because of the resistance of the wire 20. It will, therefore, energize the electromagnet only slightly. By its passage through the resistance wire, that wire becomes heated and expands, thereby causing the member 19 and the slightly energized electromagnet to draw the contacts 28 and 29 gradually together. When the critical point is reached and the wire 20 is inadequate to resist the action of the spring and the electromagnet, the contacts are snapped together quickly.

At this moment the resistance wire is substantially eliminated from the circuit which now comprises the first terminal, the energizing coil, the contact-carrying bridge, the two joined contacts, the adjusting screw, the conducting resilient member, its supporting post and the second terminal. Upon the formation of this latter circuit the current passing through the device substantially increases as the resistance of the wire 20 is eliminated. This increase in current may be utilized to illuminate a light source in the main circuit, not shown. It results also in substantially increasing the effect of the electromagnet, thereby holding the contacts firmly together. As the resistance wire 20 has been substantially eliminated from the circuit, it immediately cools and shrinks, thereby exerting a tendency to raise the armature and the contact-carrying resilient member, thus separating the contacts. When the shrinkage of the resistance wire has reached a point where the strength of the augmented electromagnet combined with that of the conducting spring is overcome, the contacts are snapped apart, the strength of the magnet immediately falls and the circuit first described is again created, with a resultant loss in effective current and dimming of the light source in the main circuit. v

The adjusting screw 17 is adapted to regulate the distance between the two contacts and at the same time to adjust the distance between the electromagnet and the armature. By proper manipulation of the adjusting screw, the duration of each circuit described above and hence the fiash of the source of illumination in the main circuit may be controlled within reasonable limits. It has been found, for example, that in a device of the character described, proper adjustment of the screw 17 may result in a flashing period or from 1/20th of a second to in excess of three seconds. The action of the resistance wire 20 is constant and uniform, so that a device constructed as outlined above will furnish regular flashes of constant periods of duration.

In the modification of the invention shown in Fig. 4, in which the same numerals have been used to indicate similar elements in so far as possible, a permanent magnet 30 is provided mounted upon a suitable base 31, preferably of insulating material. Mounted upon the base and positioned preferably between the poles of the magnet, is a fixed contact 32 in circuit with the terminal 14. Opposed to this contact and carried preferably by the armature 12 of the magnet is a second movable contact 33. As in the first embodiment of the invention described, the armature and the contact which it carries are in turn adjustably carried upon a conducting member 19 which is preferably of resilient material and, in turn, is rigidly mounted upon the base and in circuit with the terminal 24.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in Fig. 4, means comprising a post 34 adapted to hold any desired number of coils of the resistance wire 20 is provided. The purpose of this structure is to adapt the device for use in situations where a greater resistance may be desirable in the circuit than is furnished by the length of the resistance wire 20 between its rigid connections at 21 and 22. With a structure such as is shown in Fig. 4 this resistance may be added by merely increasing the length of the wire 20 and winding the additional length around the post 34, as shown.

Adjustable means are also provided for varying the effective tension exerted by the wire 20 upon the contact-carrying member 19. In the embodiment shown these adjustable means comprise the resilient arm 35 and the adjusting screw 36. The arm 35 is positioned to carry the post 34 so that by turning the screw 36 the upper end of the post 34 may be forced away from or toward the point of contact between the resistance wire 20 and the resilient contact-carrying member 19.

The conducting member 35 is preferably mounted-upon the base in circuit with the terminal 14.

Means may also be provided to cooperate with the resistance wire and magnet in controlling the periods of engagement and separation of the contacts 32 and 33. In the form shown, a spring 37 may be provided connected to the armature 12 and carried by the adjusting screw 38 which is in turn shown as mounted upon the magnet 30 and suitably insulated therefrom as at 39. The spring 37 aids the tension wire 20 in holding the contacts normally in spaced relation, and by suitable adjustment of the screw 38 the effect of the spring may be varied to control to some extent the period of operation of the device.- By suitably adjusting the spaced cqntacts, the position of the post carrying the resistance wire and the tension of the coil spring 37 not only can the frequency of the make-and-break of the contacts be controlled, but the period of engagement of the contacts may be controlled with respect to the period of disengagement so that when the device is used in a circuit provided'with a source of illumination the period of each complete flash 'normal household lighting circuit, a condenser 40 may be provided positioned across .the gap of the contacts 3233 to cut down sparking. It

should benoted, however, that because of the,

construction of the circuits in thedevice, and particularly because the flow of current is at no time completely broken, sparking at the contacts is kept to a minimum under normal conditions, even without the use of the condenser.

The operation of the structure shown in Fig. 4 is substantially like that of the embodiment of the invention shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3. One circuit in the device comprises the terminal 14, the member 35, the resistance wire 20, the resilient contact-carrying member 19, and the terminal 24. When the contacts are brought into engagement by the expansion of the resistance wire, a second circuit is created in the device comprising the terminal 14, the contacts, the contact-carrying member 19, and the terminal 24. When this latter circuit is set up the passage of current through the first-mentioned circuit is substantially eliminated, the resistance wire cools and shrinks drawing the contacts apart and causing the first-mentioned circuit again to be set up.

Since certain changes may be made in the above construction and different embodiments of the invention could be made without departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

It is also to be understood that the following claims are intended to cover all of the generic and specific features of the invention herein described, and all statements of the scope of the invention which as a matter of language might be said to fall therebetween.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a device of the character described, a plurality of circuits, one circuit comprising a thermoresponsive resistance wire, an electromagnet, and a resilient member, and another circuit comprising a pair of make-and-break contacts, said electromagnet and said resilient member, and means operable upon the passage of current through the device for periodically utilizing each of the aforesaid circuits without completely breaking the flow of current through the device.

2. In a device of the character described, in combination, means comprising an electric circuit, a pair of contacts, means forming a part of said circuit and comprising a thermo-responsive resistance wire responsive to changes in current transmitted thereby and adapted for holding said contacts in spaced relation, and means comprising a magnet operative continuously during operation of the device for causing said contacts to engage.

3. In a device of the character described, in combination, a pair of contacts, means comprising a thermo-responsive resistance wire for holding said contacts in spaced relation, means comprising an electromagnet in circuit with said resistance wire for causing said contacts to engage, and means comprising a plurality of electric circuits adapted to cause a periodic alteration in the length of said wire.

4. In a device of the character described, in combination, a pair of contacts, means comprising a thermo-responsive resistance wire responsive to changes in current transmitted thereby and adapted when cool to maintain said contacts in spaced relation, means comprising a resilient conducting member and a magnet for causing said contacts to engage when said resistance wire is heated, and means comprising a plurality of electric circuits for periodically heating and cooling said wire, one of said circuits comprising said wire incl; another of said circuits comprising said conac s.

5. In a device of the character described, in combination, a plurality of electrical circuits, one of said circuits comprising a pair of contacts, a second circuit comprising adjustable means comprising a thermo-responsive resistance wire adapted when cool to maintain said contacts in spaced relation whereby said first circuit is broken, means for altering the relative positions of the contacts when in spaced relation, adjustable resilient means adapted to resist the engagement of said contacts, and means comprising a magnet operable against the tension of said resistance wire for causing said contacts to engage whereby said wire is shunted.

6. In a device of the character described, in combination, a plurality of electrical circuits, one of said circuits comprising a pair of contacts, a second circuit comprising adjustable means comprising a thermo-responsive resistance wire adapted when cool to maintain said contacts in spaced relation whereby said first circuit is broken, means for altering the relative positions of the contacts when in spaced relation, adjustable resilient means adapted to resist the engagement of said contacts, and means comprising a resilient conducting member and a magnet operable against the tension of said resistance wire for causing said contacts to engage whereby said wire is shunted.

7. In a device of the character described, in combination, a plurality of electrical circuits, one comprising a pair of contacts, a second circuit comprising a thermo-responsive resistance wire adapted when cool to maintain said contacts in spaced relation and adapted upon the passage of a current therethrough to expand and to permit said contacts to engage whereby said second circuit is shunted, and said resistance wire caused to contract and separate said contacts, whereby said second circuit is energized, and means operable to hold said contacts in engagement until said resistance wire has contracted a predetermined amount.

8. In a device of the character described, in combination, means comprising an electric circuit, a pair of contacts, a thermo-responsive resistance wire adapted to comprise a portion of said circuit, and when cool to maintain said contacts in spaced relation and adapted upon passage of a current therethrough to expand and to permit said contacts to engage, means comprising a second electric circuit operable upon engagement of said contac s to shunt said wire and to cause said wire to contract and to separate said contacts, and means comprising a magnet operable to hold said contacts in engagement while said resistance wire is cooling and until it has contracted a predetermined amount.

9. In a device of the character described, a plurality of electric circuits, one circuit comprising a thermo-responsive resistance wire, another circuit comprising a pair of contacts, means adapted for alternately utilizing each of said circuits without completey interrupting the flow of current through the device, supporting means associated" 5 ing a thermo-responsive resistance wire and an electromagnet, another circuit comprising a pair of contacts and said electromagnet, means adapted for alternately utilizing each of said circuits without completely interrupting the flow of current through the device and supporting means for maintaining said resistance wire under tension whereby said contacts may be maintained in spaced relation during the passage of current through said first mentioned circuit.

11. In a device of the character described, plurality of electric circuits, one circuit comprising a thermo-responsive resistance wire, another circuit comprising a pair of contacts, means adapted for alternately utilizing each of said circuits without completely interrupting the flow of current through the device, supporting means for maintaining said resistance wire under tension whereby said wire may act directly to maintain said contacts in spaced relation during the passage of current through said first mentioned circuit, means operable constantlyv to resist the tendency of said wire to break said contacts, and means to alter the relative efiective strengths of said last-mentioned means and said resistance wire, whereby the duration of one of said circuits with respect to the other may be altered.

12. In a device of the character described, a thermo-responsive resistance wire, supporting means therefor, a plurality of circuits, one circuit comprising said wire and a resilient member adapted with said support for maintaining said wire under tension, and another circuit comprising a pair of contacts and said resilient member, means operable upon the passage of current through the device for periodically utilizing each of the aforesaid circuits without completely breaking the flow of current through the device, and means for altering the duration of one of said circuits with respect to the other comprising a magnet operable constantly to cause said contacts to mate, and means for adjusting the effective power of said magnet.

13. In a device of the character described, in combination, means for providing an unbroken electric circuit through the device and comprising a thermo-responsive resistance wire, means comprising a resilient member and a magnet for maintaining said wire constantly under tension,

maintaining said wire under tension and a pair of contacts, and means operable upon the passage of current through said circuit for periodically and regularly-altering the length of said wire whereby said contacts are periodically mated and disengaged, said tension-maintaining means operating to hold said contactsin engaged position during a. portion of the time that said wire is contracting.

15. In a device of the character described, in combination, a pair of make-and-break contacts, a thermo-responsive resistance wire adapted for holding said contacts in spaced relation, an electromagnet in circuit with said resistance wire and adapted for causing said contacts to engage, and means operable upon the engagement of said contacts for increasing the energizing of said electromagnet.

16. In a device of the character described, in combination, means comprising a plurality of electric circuits, one of said circuits comprising a thermo-responsive resistance wire, a second circuit comprising a make-and-break device, means comprising a magnet operative to close said second circuit, said resistance wire being adapted when said second circuit is closed to break said circuit, and being adapted when said second circuit is broken to permit said magnet to close said circuit whereby, when current is passed through the device, the current flow in each of said circuits is periodically altered.

17. In a device of the character described, in combination, a plurality of electric circuits, one circuit comprising a thermo-responsive resistance wire, a second circuit comprising a pair of contacts, means comprising a magnet adapted to cause said contacts to engage and adapted to hold said contacts in engagement for an apprec'able period, said resistance wire being adapted to exert a progressively increasing breaking action upon said contacts after they have become engaged, and being adapted to exert a progressively diminishing breaking action upon said contacts after their engagement has been broken whereby when current is passed through the device the current fiow in each of the said circuits is periodically altered.

18. In a device of the character described, in combination, a plurality of electric circuits, one circuit comprising a thermo-responsive resistance wire, a. second circuit comprising a pair of com tacts, means for adjusting the relative position of said contacts when in spaced relation, means comprising a magnet adapted to cause said contacts to engage and adapted to hold said contacts in engagement for an appreciable period, said resistance wire being adapted to exert a progressively increasing breaking action upon said" contacts after they have become engaged, and being adapted to exert a progressively diminishing breaking action upon said contacts after their engagement has been broken whereby when current is passed through the device the current flow in each of the said circuits is periodically altered.

19. In a device of the character described, in combination, a plurality of circuits, one circuit comprising a thermo-responsive resistance wire, a second circuit comprising a air of contacts, each circuit comprising a res ient conducting member, said resistance wire being adapted for maintaining said contacts in spaced relation, said JOSEPH SCHMIHDINGER. 

